carpenter ant

noun

Updated on: 1 Apr 2018

Definition of carpenter ant

: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood

Recent Examples of carpenter ant from the Web

To test this idea, Solá Gracia and her colleagues took about 100 carpenter ants and created three colonies.

— kate sheridan, Newsweek, "Zombie Apocalypse: Ants Can't Tell When Their Colony Is Overrun by a Deadly Fungus," 14 Mar. 2018
This image shows carpenter ants in Rock Creek Park in Washington DC on April 16, 2016.

— kate sheridan, Newsweek, "Zombie Apocalypse: Ants Can't Tell When Their Colony Is Overrun by a Deadly Fungus," 14 Mar. 2018
The most pervasive of these include pavement ants, Argentine ants, odorous house ants and carpenter ants.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Ants," 31 Oct. 2017
When carpenter ants come into contact with a specific fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis), a toxin released by the fungus takes control of the ant’s brain and compels it to attach itself to a leaf and wait for death.

— justin jacobs, Indianapolis Star, "Swallow some 'Poison' at seductive new exhibit at the Indiana State Museum," 18 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carpenter ant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.